Submitted Photo A $5,000 check from St. Joseph’s Community Health Foundation was presented to Central Dispatch at a 911 Committee meeting Wednesday. Shown with a symbolic check are, from left, Central Dispatch leads Sean Christie, Beth Sorensen, Ward County Sheriff Robert Roed, Central Dispatch lead Jenna Hurt, PSAP manager Margaret Haugan, foundation President Shelly Weppler, Rex Weltikol of the Minot Rural Fire Department and Minot Police Capt. Jason Sundbakken.

Minot Central Dispatch will be updating its emergency medical response system in January with the help of a $5,000 grant from St. Joseph’s Community Health Foundation.

The foundation presented the check Wednesday toward a $65,695 project to upgrade the computer system at Central Dispatch with the electronic resources. Other funds will come from the county 911 Emergency program.

The new ProQA technology from Priority Dispatch will enable dispatchers to consistently follow best known standards of care, including providing potentially life-saving instructions. It guides emergency dispatchers seamlessly through the gathering of essential information and dispatching of resources. Less typing is required, reducing the potential for error, according to the company.

Among program tools are those that can accurately identify a stroke, quickly calculate the number of weeks in a pregnancy using due date, identify breathing patterns related to sudden cardiac arrest, help locate and use nearby defibrillators, and function as a compression monitor so dispatchers can guide callers administering CPR.

Margaret Haugan, Public Service Answering Point manager at Central Dispatch, said the faster, more accurate computer program will replace the existing physical card system system for medical emergencies. The ever-changing protocols as new information becomes available regarding COVID-19 has highlighted the need for a system that is easily updated, she said.

“These card sets are going by the wayside,” Haugan said. “They can’t update a card system as fast as they can update the computer system.”

Ward County 911 manager Larry Haug said the new software will mean better information for emergency personnel so they can respond with the right equipment and the right level of urgency.

“It’s going to make it easier and more accurate for dispatchers to tell the responders what they are getting into,” he said. “The purpose is better response on medical emergencies.”

The new system is expected to be implemented in mid-January, following dispatcher training on the software.